23. Chapter Twenty-Three

"Tired already, Nell?" Calix laughs, scanning the area for any immediate threat.

"Shut up! We've been at this for hours, and I feel like we haven't even touched the number of demons here!" My voice cracks a little, exhausting frustration settling in my bones.

This is never going to end, is it?

A hand grips my shoulder. I drag my eyes to Calix's blue irises, looking for any hope in him that I can't seem to find in myself. "We will get through this. And then you can go back to ogling your soul bonds for the rest of time." My jaw drops as I huff out a laugh.

Shoving him in the chest, I say with no confidence, "I do not ogle!" He throws his head back to laugh, stepping forward to wrap his arms around me. I lean into the hug, his relaxing scent calming me enough to organize my thoughts.

I refuse to acknowledge the river of blood branching through the area. Or the thousands of bodies already beginning to decay. The smell of death is too much already, so I will not allow myself to see it as well. I cannot handle it right now.

"You do ogle." He squeezes tighter when I move to bat him again. "But that's okay, I still love you." He releases me, cupping my face with a concerned expression. I know things are serious when Calix is worried. "You good?"

Am I good? No. Am I ready to continue fighting? No. Do I want to stay here and pretend like there aren't hundreds of fae dying around us? Yes.

I open my mouth to tell him what he needs to hear, but I don't get the chance as his head is suddenly flying away from me.

Second One: I stand frozen, not registering the warm hands that slide from my cheeks as Calix's body drops to the ground. My eyes follow so slowly I'm convinced time is moving at half-speed. Black claws swing through my vision, causing a few pieces of loose hair to breeze across my face.

Second Two: I look over my best friend's crumpled body, where hot blood spills onto my boots. My eyes turn to a couple dozen feet away where his head rests, eyes watching me as if I was the last thing he wanted to see before his soul left this realm. My attention snaps to the demon, who stands next to me, unmoving. It raises its chest, appearing like it's gloating before it swings at me.

Second Three: Everything inside me shuts down. The panic. Exhaustion. Doubt. All thoughts vanish. All intentions cease to exist…except for one: kill.

A shrill, all-consuming sound halts every single being on the field. Their gazes turn toward me and the ground begins to shake as I call to the deepest parts of my essence. I pay them no attention, twisting my body and running my arm through the air as if I'm wielding a sword. My magic slices through something, and I bask in the stillness before the demon's abdomen separates, falling in opposite directions. Thick, black sludge splatters over my body, joining with the crimson that's already made home on my skin. I spit and wipe just my eyes, needing to see every detail of what comes next.

I do not hear the shocked gasps of the surrounding fae. Nor do I see every being in my vicinity back away slowly. No, I see him. Standing at the edge of the field, not having lifted a finger this entire time. He stills—his mouth agap—when he notices what I've done. The moment he meets my eyes, I nod to let him know he's next. That I'm coming for him. He clenches his jaw, refusing to move.

I walk, not slowly, but with purpose. Each step is a direct line to the most vile demon of all. The fighting around me resumes. Bodies drop in my path, blood soaking me from every direction. I feel several demons rush me, their essence reeking of death. It takes one thought to have them in pieces; barely a moment of my time wasted.

I will not give any more energy to this war while he watches with a smirk. I will not allow him to continue living. This ends now.

The sky finally begins lighting in front of me, illuminating the horrifically devastating scene that seems to span for miles. I swallow thickly, telling myself that I can feel later. So I step over the bodies of innocent, Anlorian soldiers and do not falter in my path to Andras.

I have the urge to pick up a dagger, though with the intense thrumming of magic in my veins, I know my bare hands will be significantly more effective. I'm only several feet from my target, glaring at him with every piece of rage and pain he's caused me the last two decades, when something swings from the corner of my eye. I snap my head left, using my essence to block the sword Dominik aims at me. He hits the wall hard; the metal recoiling and forcing him to stumble back. My foot lifts to close the distance between the ex-god and me, but the too familiar voice halts my movements.

"What's the matter, Nell? Don't want to play with your father?" I suck my teeth, warring with my need to beat the fucking life out of the fae and execute Andras. The latter's smirk makes the decision for me, and I spin, throwing my fist into Dominik's jaw and sending him careening across the ground. He laughs, spitting out a mouthful of blood before grinning up at me. "I knew you still had a soft spot for me." He pushes himself up, cracking his neck. His dark eyes are full of malice, watching me in the same way predators hunt their easiest prey. "All those times you stood next to me, with no idea who I was to you. I was so close to fucking the memories back into your head. Reminding you of who exactly taught you everything you know."

My heart stutters, arms trembling with an anger that has been festering inside me for so long. My body screams at me to lash out. To take all of my frustrations out on him. But that's exactly what Andras wants; the fucker couldn't win against me without an upper-hand. He knows exactly how to get under my skin, how to make me weak enough for him to overpower my will.

"Taught me what? You were just a memory that never existed, Dominik," I taunt, sauntering toward him. "You have no idea what it feels like to fuck me. And honestly? It's embarrassing how much you clearly wish it were real."

His teeth grind, sending a shiver down my spine as I focus solely on his gaze. "Close enough, sweetie. Imogen may not have liked what I did to her, but it was worth it for you to know the feel of my cock inside you. The sound of my voice in your ears. The feel of my hands all over your pretty, little body." I'm going to be sick. He acted out the memories they put in my head?

As much as I want to tell myself he's lying, I know it's the truth. I do know what his body feels like…intimately. His pleading voice as he took from me what I was never willing to give. Realizing just how many layers of choices were taken from me is disorienting. I…do not know what to do with this information. The panic creeps into my senses, threatening to overtake the numbness I've forced through my body.

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath before shoving the information away. That's just one more thing I will process at another time. If there is any more time for me.

"Yeah…I don't remember any of that. Must have sucked for Imogen, too." He moves to lift his sword, clearly hurt by my dismissal, but I'm done with these stupid fucking games. I grab his mind, willing him to do my bidding. His eyes widen as he attempts to fight my hold. He turns to hand his sword to the fae behind him, both of them trembling from my magic.

I smile when Dominik turns back around, tears running down his dirt-coated face. His lips thin, brows furrowing when I force him to his knees, where I tell his mind to drop to his hands. The fae male behind him sobs, his skin red as blood.

"Don't do this!" Dominik begs, dragging an actual laugh from me. "Please, I'll do anything you want!" Is he serious right now? How pathetic.

I crouch a few feet in front of him, my lips tugging at the corners. I feel fucking powerful. "Good. Because I want you to die." I send my intentions to the other fae, not taking my eyes from Dominik's as his sword impales him. His jaw slackens while his eyes gloss over; I hum contentedly and watch the life drain from his body.

Once he's gone, I let the other fae go, paying him no mind as he runs frantically in the opposite direction. I hop up, crossing my feet and spinning to Andras, who watches me with a darker look than I've ever seen from him. I smile.

"Are you upset that I humiliated your buddy? Or is it because I'm about to do much worse to you?"

He bristles slightly before emptying his features. "This doesn't end with me, Anellah. The demons will have this realm regardless of how many you kill."

I shrug, stretching my shoulders as I step in his direction. "So be it. Either way, you will no longer exist. That's good enough for me."

"I'm honored that I take up so much space in your head." I pause, keeping my expression neutral. "Do you still feel me when they touch you? Your soul bonds?" He smirks when my breath hitches. Heat melts through my body, and I resist the urge to make this a quick death for him. "You really are so na?ve, Nell. Did you truly think I had no idea who they were the moment I saw you dancing with the prince?" He's nearly shouting, drawing the attention of those around us. I feel my males closing the distance to me and hold a hand up to stop them.

"If you knew, why did you let me leave with them? Why say nothing?" He bellows a laugh at that, and I widen my stance subtly when his eyes close.

"Just because I have not been a god for a while does not mean I forgot what soul bonds are. I know you, my sweet…I knew the moment you learned exactly who they were, you'd go running back to Europa. All I had to do was wait for you to throw yourself back into my arms."

A metallic liquid fills my mouth, and it takes me a moment to realize how hard I'm biting my tongue. "Well, it was all for nothing, Andras. So much waiting. Planning. Just to be killed by the very god you wanted as your queen." His eyes narrow, aura darkening heavily.

"You thi—" I jerk my head, cutting off his sentence and throwing his sorry ass into the field.

He groans, pushing himself up to glare at me. I glance at my males, thankful they're covering my back so that I can focus on Andras. Walking leisurely toward him, I stop just far enough away that I'd have time to react if he attempted to touch me. He will not get his hands on me again. I wait for him to stand fully and reorient himself before calling to my essence and thrusting at his chest, chuckling as he rolls backward several times.

Andras growls, the blood on his teeth enhanced by the orange morning light. Pure rage drifts off him in heavy waves, and I breathe them in, their essence like a calling to my soul. One that begs me to release him from this realm and put his fate into those very hands.

I lift an arm to hit him again, but he screams and halts my advance. "Anellah! Enough! Fight me yourself—using your essence does not make you a worthy opponent." My brows shoot up as I stare at him, unblinking. There's a muttering of curses behind me that tells me Cas and Em heard every word of that.

"Worthy? What the fuck would you know of being worthy, Andras? All you've ever done is take the cowards way out, too afraid to stand against me yourself. Needing me weak and magic-less just to be in the same room."

He smirks, as if I've given him exactly what he's asked for. He's stalling, but I cannot find it in me to care. "You want to know something, Andras? I feel sorry for you." He adjusts his stance, lifting his chin. "Most of your life has been spent reaching for a power you'll never have. Always so angry and tense; fighting every single day just for an unreachable dream. It's sad. Especially right now," I bellow, throwing my arms out to the war surrounding us. "Where you'll die knowing that you were never good enough to be anything but a pathetic, ex-god that needs to control the minds of others just to have company." Emrys bursts out laughing, the sound filling my body with a calmness I didn't realize I needed. His happiness reminds me of why I'm here. What I'm fighting for.

I pluck a lone blade from the ground, running my finger through the blood that hasn't yet dried. I wonder who I'm touching? Shaking my head from the thought, my eyes snap to Andras's from under my lashes, ensuring he understands what's about to come for him.

He does. He falters, stumbling back a few steps. I follow, gaining strength from all three of my bonds that stay a respectable distance behind me. They will not touch him; they know his life is mine. The snake looks between the four of us for a moment before deciding to risk it, spinning to run from death. I roll my eyes, twisting my sore body to hurl the dagger at him, feeling disappointed when it sinks into his left shoulder instead of his heart. He trips over his own stupidity, barely catching himself before his face hits the wet earth.

I take a moment to survey the field now that the sun is well above the horizon. My stomach flips at the amount of fae and demi bodies strewn motionless along the grass. There are more demons killed than I had expected, and another wave of gratitude for Xamira squeezes my chest.

The fighting itself seems as if it's slowing down. I'm standing in the middle of it all, where there's a decent amount of space between me and the next closest fae. Whereas the day before, this area was so crowded I could barely move. My soul hurts for all the individuals who gave their lives for Andras's selfish reasons. I almost wonder if the amount of deaths is overwhelming the fates.

Or more importantly, the balance.

My eyes scan the horizon, searching for the other gods, breathing out a sigh when I spot each of them. The amount of obsidian here makes my skin crawl, though it's ironically the least of my worries at the moment.

Facing my opponent once more, I use my essence to yank the dagger from his back, a playful smile tugging at my lips when he screams. My still demeanor cracks when Calix's head rolls in my peripheral. My lip trembles, threatening to break the small amount of will I had to keep fighting. But instead of pushing it away, I tug on the pain and direct it to the one who caused it. I project my essence to him over and over, turning his body into a rag doll as he unwillingly flips and spins in every direction.

Just as I'm about to hit him again, his head snaps in my direction, eyes boring deeply into mine as he says the one thing that could keep him alive: "Mortum Se."

My eyes widen so far they nearly slide out of my head. I immediately spin, sprinting to my bonds with everything I have. "No!"

I'm too late. I slam into an invisible wall, completely cut off from the world around me. Left alone with Andras until we fulfill the magic he's just called upon. How did I not think he would do this? Of course he would wait until I'm weak from hours of exertion. I can't do this. I won't win against him in my state.

Fuck, I'm so foolish for allowing him to bait me. I should have snapped his neck the moment I saw him, but of course that didn't satiate my need for revenge. And now I'm here, with the fate of the entire war pressing heavily on my shoulders.